


Joy

by reysrose



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Adoption, Angst, Assassination Attempt(s), Baking, Bisexual Lena Luthor, Bisexual Samantha "Sam" Arias, Christmas Carols, Depression, F/F, Family Feels, Gaeilge, Good Parent Eliza Danvers, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Irish Lena Luthor, Irish Traditional Food, Judy Garland References, Kara can sing, Lena Luthor Knows Kara Danvers Is Supergirl, Lesbian Alex Danvers, Pansexual Kara Danvers, References to old christmas movies, Ruby Arias-Danvers has all the brain cells, midnight mass
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-23
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:00:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28270554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reysrose/pseuds/reysrose
Summary: Snapshots of Christmases in the Danvers-Luthor-Arias households. With appearances by the Superfriends.
Relationships: Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor, Querl Dox/Nia Nal, Samantha "Sam" Arias/Alex Danvers
Comments: 6
Kudos: 48





	1. Baírín Breac

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas, ya nasties. Here there be baked goods and smut  
> Bairin Breac (barmbrack if you bastardize it like I 100% do because I speak barely any irish (like, so little irish)) is delicious Irish tea bread traditionally eaten on Halloween and New Year's Eve. I, like Lena, do it for Christmas because it's easy and very yummy. Kind of like King Cake it has stuff hidden in it which varies by time period and household. If you want to know more I linked a website with info about it!  
> http://www.foodireland.com/recipes/barmbrack-bairin-breac/

For once, it’s Kara getting home after Lena. They’ve been living together for a couple months, deciding to move into Kara’s loft rather than Lena’s almost clinically underused apartment, and Kara is still delighted every time she walks into her loft and sees Lena’s coat on a chair, or a pair of horrifically expensive shoes kicked off by the kitchen countertop, or Lena dozing on the couch under a velvety blanket. It’s their second Christmas as a couple, and they’re all spending their Christmas at Alex and Sam's house in the suburbs. Kara had offered to bring wine and presents, but Lena? Lena had offered to bake. 

The kitchen sink is piled high with dishes, and the loft smells of spices and tea. Kara puts her messenger bag down on the table and walks up to the stove, where Lena is stirring a pot of something that smells amazing. 

“Mmmm,” Lena murmurs, when Kara presses a kiss to her temple. Kara reaches for the spoon and Lena swats her hand away but lets her get a better look at the pot.

“Apples?”

“Ruby requested apple pie,” Lena says, leaning her weight into Kara’s body. Lena is warm, cheeks flushed from the heat of the stove and the oven. 

“What’s in the oven?” Kara asks, flattening a palm over Lena’s low belly. Kara can tell she’s tired, and this is clearly not the first thing she’s worked on. Kara would bet if she opened the fridge she’d find a home baked pie crust chilling in plastic wrap. 

“Báirín Breac,” Lena says with a melodic lilt. It sounds like barmbrack to Kara, but she can tell by the way Lena’s lips move that she’s speaking in Gaeilge. Kara rests her chin on Lena’s shoulder.

“I thought that was a Halloween thing,” Kara says. Lena nods.

“My mam did it for Christmas too,” Lena says, “But with candied peel instead of golden raisins. For a while I could bribe the cooks at the Luthor mansion to make it too, but after a few years Lillian found out. You’re supposed to do it for New Year’s but we never did. I wanted to do it this year. I miss it.”

Kara feels a tear drop on her hand. She gently turns Lena to face her and presses their lips together in a gentle, sweet kiss. 

“She’d be proud of you,” Kara whispers against Lena’s soft cheek, “Really proud.”

“Thank you,” Lena murmurs, “Now go away and stop distracting me before I burn this filling and Ruby Arias has my head.”

The next morning sees them packing up Lena’s car with baked goods and wine and gifts and suitcases. Even though Alex and Sam only live about 20 minutes away, they’re spending the next week or so crashing with them because it’s more fun and a lot simpler. 

Lena drives, and Kara sings Christmas carols as loudly as she can, holding Lena’s hand over the gearshift of her car. Ruby meets them at the door with a squeal, jumping into Kara’s arms. 

“You’re here! Aunt Lena, we have to make cookies. Mom and Mama Alex tried last night and burnt them to death.”

“Oh, goodness,” Lena laughs, as Alex and Sam wrap her up in a giant double hug, “I guess we will.” 

Lena teaches Ruby to mix the dry ingredients together and soften butter without melting it, something Kara never quite mastered. She lets Ruby roll out the dough, coaching her through how to make sure it’s all the same thickness, and then they all grab cookie cutters. 

“How is it that you’re so good at this and we all suck so bad,” Alex grumbles, cutting a star out of Lena’s sugar cookie dough and putting it on a cookie sheet. Lena rolls her eyes, pressing out a snowflake and then an angel.

“I actually read the recipe, Miss ‘I don’t measure’.”

“Who says you have to measure?” Alex asks, taking a bite out of the raw dough and making another star. Sam takes the star from her and hands her a tree from where she’s pouring them all hot chocolate. Alex rolls her eyes at her wife and then leans in for a kiss, smiling against Sam’s mouth. Ruby and Kara both fake gag at them. 

“Uh, mostly chemistry,” Lena laughs, “which you should know given that you have a medical degree.” 

“We can’t all be geniuses,” Kara says, tossing a piece of dough into Ruby’s open waiting mouth.

They decorate the cookies with sprinkles and colored frosting, and then Sam makes dinner. They eat it around the TV, watching a Christmas Story.

“This is ridiculous,” Lena says, even though her face is red from laughing and she’s abandoned her dinner in favor of watching.

“I can’t believe,” Sam says through a mouthful of pasta, “That you’ve never seen this movie.”

“Have you met Lillian?” Lena says with a crooked eyebrow. Sam shudders in response. 

“You taste like sugar,” Lena says later, as they curl together in the guest bed. She’s straddling Kara, down to her underwear and nothing else. Her lips look deliciously swollen with kisses, and Kara runs a hand through Lena’s dark hair and tugs. Lena shudders, hips grinding down against Kara’s pelvis. 

“I ate about 10 cookies and I would have eaten more if you hadn’t dragged me to bed,” Kara murmurs, pulling Lena down to kiss her again. Lena moans into Kara’s mouth and Kara knows it’s a good day to flip them over. Lena giggles when Kara pushes her down into a mattress, leaning in. She doesn’t kiss her, like Kara was expecting, but instead closes her mouth around a nipple and sucks. Kara arches into her mouth and Lena smiles. 

Kara hooks her hands in Lena’s panties and drags them down her long, pale legs. Sliding a hand against Lena’s cunt, Kara leans in and laves her tongue over Lena’s clit. Lena’s hips buck up into Kara’s mouth, and Kara reaches up to massage one of Lena’s breasts, using her other to trace patterns on the soft part of Lena’s belly. 

“Oh,” Lena sighs, as Kara sucks her clit and scratches at her navel. 

“Fingers,” Lena gasps, “Kara, fingers, I need them to cum-” 

Kara starts with one and builds Lena up to three, scratching at the rough patch on Lena’s inner wall. Lena whimpers, and when Kara looks up, Lena has her fist stuffed in her own mouth to keep herself quiet.

“That’s so hot, baby,” Kara breathes, and then uses the barest hint of teeth over Lena’s clit before pressing the flat of her tongue over it. Lena comes with a muffled, trembling cry and then goes limp on the bed, breathing heavy.

“C’mere,” Lena rasps, and Kara climbs up the bed after stripping her own boyshorts off. Lena finds her with a shaking hand, mouthing at the most sensitive part of Kara’s neck. It doesn’t take long for Kara to come, she’s already so worked up from getting Lena off, and Lena wrings two from her with delicate, careful fingers and tweaks of her nipples.

“God, I love you,” Kara breathes into Lena’s sweat dampened neck.

“You only say that because I give you baked goods and orgasms,” Lena murmurs into her hair, one hand tracing the alphabet between Kara’s shoulders. Kara nods, half in a daze, and Lena chuckles.

“Tomorrow is Christmas Eve,” Kara says, “And my mom will get here.”

“So, we should shower and sleep,” Lena prompts. 

“We should do that,” Kara says, one hand sliding between Lena’s breasts, “or we could do some more of this.” 

Lena throws her head back with a smile, and lets out a noise of pure delight that makes Kara shiver.


	2. L Corp Christmas Gala

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A very festive assassination attempt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you know that if you have surgery on a part of your body that doesn't have a high infection rate you don't take antibiotics for it more than like, the day of surgery? You do now.

“You look beautiful,” Lena breathes, taking a sip of her sparkling water from where she sits at the kitchen island. Kara blushes and twirls a little, swishing the skirt of her party dress from side to side. It’s a deep jewel toned red, and Kara picked shiny gold oxfords to go with it. Lena stands and smoothes her own skirt, relishing in the feel of black velvet before taking a few steps to Kara and pressing a kiss to her cheek. Kara pouts and offers her mouth up, newly lipsticked. Lena shakes her head.

“Wouldn’t want to mess up your makeup,” Lena murmurs in her ear, “At least, not until tonight.”

“Lena!” Kara whines, as Lena goes into the bathroom to do her eyeliner, “Don’t tease!” 

It’s hard to keep their hands to themselves in the car on the way to Alex and Sam’s, Kara’s fingers wandering closer and closer to the plunging neckline of Lena’s dress and Lena’s hand sliding higher on Kara’s thigh. 

“Aunt Kara!” Ruby shouts, as the door opens without warning and they jump apart. Lena can feel her cheeks flushing bright red under her foundation, and Kara looks sufficiently shocked.

“Check it out!” Ruby says, as she slides into the seat across from them and holds out her arm. There’s a new silvery bracelet around her wrist that matches the beads on her dress.

“Mom and Mama got it for me,” Ruby says proudly, as Lena takes her arm delicately to ooh and ahhh over the bracelet, “Specifically for this.”

“It’s gorgeous,” Kara says, squeezing Ruby’s shoulder. 

“I’m so excited,” Ruby says, “I’ve never been to a party like this.”

Ruby chatters happily the entire ride to the L Corp Christmas gala, and Kara twines her fingers with Lena’s and squeezes gently. Lena rests her head on Kara’s shoulder and presses a kiss to the satiny sleeve of her dress. She’s happy, and surrounded by people she loves, and she carefully soaks up the energy in the car before she has to network with old men who try to grab her ass on the sly. 

The ballroom is decorated to the ceiling with giant Christmas trees and candles. There’s gold and silver ornaments dangling from chandeliers and wreaths on the giant windows. Ruby kisses both mothers, Lena, and Kara on the cheeks and bolts off into the room, headed towards where Nia and Brainy stand by the food. 

She gets separated from Kara, Alex, and Sam rather quickly by board members and shareholders, and then she gets roped into a conversation with one of her techs from R&D about a project she doesn’t particularly want to consider tonight. Lena sips from her champagne glass and gives her tech a parting smile, because she sees James trying to fend off about four different advertorial reps at once. 

There’s a weird feeling between two of her ribs as she stands next to James and talks advertising placement for new software in the next edition of Catco magazine, a dull aching pressure that she doesn’t quite place until a few seconds after it passes. She must make some sort of noise because James looks at her with a bit of concern and puts a hand on her shoulder as they step away from the people they’re talking to to head toward Nia and Brainy, who are dancing with Ruby wildly to music definitely meant for more subdued moves. Ruby looks so happy it makes Lena’s chest swell, and she’s going to join her when she gets a rush of dizziness that almost takes her knees out from under her. She reaches for James to steady herself, grabbing his arm. 

“Lena?” he asks quietly, so no one hears, “You okay?”

“Yeah,” she says, “Just got a little dizzy. Too much champagne, not enough water.”

“I’ll go get you some,” James says, “Do you need to find a seat for a minute?”

“No,” Lena says, with more confidence than she feels, “I’m going to go dance with my niece. If you see Kara, send her my way? I lost her within 20 minutes of getting here and she looks too pretty not to see more of.”

“Of course,” James says, “You sure you’re okay?”

“Just fine.” 

“Aunt Lena!” Ruby exclaims, “Come dance with us!”

Lena takes Ruby’s hands and lets her twirl her around, pulling Ruby into a dip when the song ends. Something in her back twinges painfully, and she eases her niece back on her feet with a smile. 

“You’ve got moves,” she tells Ruby, who beams at her. James is coming back with Kara and Alex and Sam, carrying a tray of drinks. 

“Water for Lena,” he says, “Sprite for Ruby, and champagne for everyone else.” 

Lena takes her water gratefully, leaning in to kiss Kara when Kara pouts at her.

“I’m sorry, darling,” she says, “I lost you and then couldn’t get away.” 

“Always so busy,” Kara says, wrapping her arms around Lena. Lena’s back twinges again, and Kara pulls away with mild concern.

“Someone must have spilled their drink on your dress,” Kara says, “The back of it is wet.”

“Ruby,” Alex says sharply, “Can you go find me something to eat?” 

“Mama?” Ruby asks, “What’s wrong? That’s your something’s wrong voice.” 

“Ruby, go. Nia, Brainy, can you make sure she gets somewhere safe? I’ll go get the coats.”

Sam is looking with horror at Lena and Kara, and Lena is still completely confused. 

“Lena, sweetheart,” Sam says, “Are you feeling alright?”

“Fine,” Lena says, as another wave of dizziness spills over her and she stumbles back. Kara is looking dazedly at her hand and arm, which are covered in something red and viscous. Another pain shoots through Lena’s back and this time it doesn’t go away. 

“Oh,” she mumbles, looking at Kara’s hand and arm and realizing that it’s blood, “Oh, I don’t feel well, Sam.”

“I know, honey,” Sam says, as James slips an arm around Lena’s waist and takes a good bit of her weight. 

“Kara,” Lena wheezes, “Kara, don’t- I’m fine.” 

Kara is still staring at the blood on her arm, paralyzed with fear as Lena leans more against James in exhaustion. Her head is spinning, and she’s hot and cold all over. When she looks at the floor she sees droplets of blood on the pristine tile. 

“Okay, Lena,” Alex says suddenly from Lena’s side, “put your coat on, honey. Kara, you too. Time to go. Lena, I need you to walk to the car, okay? We can’t let people know this is happening. James, can you do damage control?” 

“Someone tried to kill me,” Lena slurs, as Kara and Sam press on either side of her and help her subtly out to the door, “Merry Christmas.”

Nia, Brainy, and Ruby are already in the car. Ruby is in tears and Lena wants to reach for her and console her, but she’s so tired, and then she’s laying down with her head in Kara’s lap and someone is putting pressure on the painful place in her back.

“It hurts,” Lena forces out, pressing her face into Kara’s thigh. 

“I don’t feel good,” Lena coughs, when Kara scoops her up to carry her into a building she recognizes. Ruby is crying so hard that her face is red.

“Ruby, don’t cry,” Lena gurgles, because there’s blood in her throat. She can tell, because her mouth tastes like metal and something oozes out of her mouth. 

“Kara, go. Medbay NOW.”

Lena cries out as Kara lays her down on a bed with white sheets, then coughs a mouthful of blood onto her pillow. 

“Kara,” she rasps, “Kara, please help.”

“Shhhhh,” her girlfriend says quietly, wiping blood off Lena’s face with a wet washcloth. Lena yelps when there’s a sharp pain in the back of her hand and Kara strokes her hair off her face.

“Lena, I’m going to give you something for the pain and then you’re going to go to sleep, okay?”

“Okay,” Lena slurs, “Alex.”

“I’m right here,” Alex says, and Lena turns her head to watch Alex put something into her IV. She starts to feel sleepy pretty much immediately and reaches for Kara with a rush of terror.

“Don’t go,” Lena gasps, “Kara, please.”

“I’ll be here when you wake up, baby,” Kara murmurs, tears in her big blue eyes, “Close your eyes, Lena.”

“Mkay,” she mumbles, and closes her eyes. 

Lena wakes up to the sounds of a TV and Kara’s voice.

“Hi,” Kara murmurs, as Lena forces her sticky eyes to open with a grunt, “Hey, uh uh.”

Kara stills her hand as she reaches for the thing in her nose, which she realizes belatedly is a nasal cannula. Right. Someone stabbed her at her own party. 

“Ouch,” Lena croaks, and Kara puts a PCA pump in her hand. Lena presses the green button. Morphine floods her system and Lena groans in relief as the pain in her back and lungs fades away to a dull ache.

“I got stabbed,” Lena states. Kara nods.

“There was a toxin on the knife that kept you from feeling it. Something alien so the lab is analyzing it. Alex has the DEO and NCPD looking for the person who did it.”

“Sure as shit hurts now,” Lena grunts. 

“I know, baby.” Kara murmurs, stroking through Lena’s hair, “I’m so sorry, Lena.”

“It’s not your fault,” Lena croaks, “You didn’t stab me.”

“I let you go off on your own, though.” Kara says, eyes starting to tear up. Lena raises a shaking hand to Kara’s cheek, which was so warm.

“You can’t constantly be with me,” Lena tries to reassure her, “I’m a grown woman.”

“You almost died,” Kara says with a sob, “You almost died in my arms, again.”

“I’m so sorry,” Lena whispers, rubbing Kara’s cheek, “I’m so, so sorry, baby.”

“Now you’re apologizing for something that isn’t your fault,” Kara says with a watery laugh. Lena laughs and then grunts when it makes her cough.

“Oh, honey,” Kara murmurs, as the coughing fit refuses to subside, “Just breathe, Lee. That’s it. Good job.” 

“Ugh,” Lena gasps, once she can breathe again. Kara rubs her back between her shoulder blades.

“The knife hit a lung, didn’t it?” Lena asks. Kara nods.

“Alex has you all fixed up, though. Eliza is gonna come a few days early to help me take care of you because I’m on deadline.”

“She doesn’t have to do that,” Lena yawns, “I’ll be okay.” 

“She wants to,” Kara murmurs, “She loves you, Lee. She wants to help.”

“Do you think,” Lena yawns, as Kara presses her pain pump again, “That I’ll get to go home by Christmas.”

“Alex says chances are good if you avoid infection,” Kara murmurs, “and she has you on heavy duty antibiotics so it shouldn’t happen.”

“Good,” she whispers, eyes closing without her permission, “I want to be able to see Ruby open presents and have dinner with everyone.” 

“We’ll make it happen,” Kara promises, kissing Lena’s hand, “Even if we gotta do it in your hospital room, baby.”

“I love you,” Lena murmurs.

“I love you too, Lena,” Kara says. Lena falls asleep with a smile.


	3. Christmas in the Loft

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena is released from the DEO medbay just in time for Christmas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a followup of chapter 2! Merry Chrimmus, fam

Lena gets to go home on December 23rd, 5 days after she gets stabbed. 

Kara helps her into a NCU hoodie, pulling Lena’s messy 5-day bedhead into a ponytail and kissing her forehead. Lena smiles tiredly up at her, fiddling with the bandage over her IV site. Her delicate skin is bruised purple and yellow around the insertion site and it makes Kara feel a little sick to look at. She hasn’t dared to look at the stab wound or the surgical incisions on her girlfriend’s back yet, letting Eliza do dressing changes with the nurse. 

“Shoes,” Kara says, kneeling in front of Lena. She giggles at Lena’s socks, which had been an early Christmas present from Ruby. They have little sloths with Santa hats on them and sticky treads on the soles. Ruby had been grinning fit to burst when she’d presented them to Lena, then tugged up her leggings to show that she had matching ones. Lena smiles when she sees them, letting Kara lace up her tennis shoes. Kara helps her to her feet and lets Lena get her bearings standing, gathering up the duffel bag with Lena’s stuff in it and slinging it over her shoulder.

“Ready to go?” Alex asks. Ruby is spinning in a chair at the command center, headphones in her ears. Eliza is at the apartment already, probably cleaning because Eliza always cleans like crazy during the holidays, and Sam is still at L-Corp. Lena nods tiredly, already looking paler after standing for a few minutes. Kara wraps Lena’s arm around her neck and kisses her cheek. Lena sighs and nuzzles against her. 

“Rubes! Up and at em!” Alex yells, and Ruby bounds over, backpack in hand. Together they all walk to the parking garage and then slide into Sam’s “mom car” as Alex calls it. Kara climbs in next to Lena, who shifts into the middle seat and lets herself fold against Kara.

“M’tired,” Lena mumbles, curling her legs up on the seat. Kara rubs her neck gently and Lena starts dozing immediately. 

“We’re here, love,” Kara says, when they get back to the loft. Lena just mumbles something incoherent into Kara’s sweater, so Kara scoops her up. Lena smiles against Kara’s neck and lets herself be carried into the building and to the elevator. Ruby takes one of Lena’s limp hands and squeezes a little. 

“I’m glad you’re gonna be home for Christmas, Aunt Lena,” Ruby says quietly, “It felt kind of weird thinking you wouldn’t be.”

“Me too, honey,” Lena murmurs, squeezing back. Her green eyes are barely open and hazy with the last dose of IV painkiller she’d been given, and she’s getting heavier against Kara’s chest. 

The loft is spotless, the air mattress in the living room made perfectly.

“Oh wow,” Kara says, “You decorated.”

“I helped!” Ruby says, running into Eliza’s arms. Eliza smiles and squishes Ruby to her and strokes her hair back. 

“It looks amazing, Mom.” Alex says, kissing Eliza’s cheek and fist bumping her daughter, “good job, kiddo.” 

“Lena,” Eliza says, “Are you hungry?”

Lena shakes her head, curling into Kara. Eliza frowns, and presses her hand to Lena’s cheek. 

“Why don’t you go take a nap,” Eliza says, “I’ll make you some soup with dinner, hmm?”

Lena nods. 

She’s asleep before Kara even has her shoes off. 

Lena spends most of Christmas Eve napping. The loft is warm and crowded with her family, because everyone is staying there to make sure Lena and Kara have enough support. Kara isn’t allowed to help with the baking parts of Christmas cookies, so she sits on the couch with Lena’s head in her lap. Sam is technically off work, but she’s still subtly doing paperwork on her computer at the kitchen table. 

Ruby flops on the couch after about four rounds of cookies, tugging a blanket over herself and turning on the TV and picking a movie. 

“So much baking,” she groans, as the opening of the Grinch plays over the TV’s speaker on low. Kara takes the remote from her and turns on closed captions so they can avoid waking Lena up. Sam and Alex join after a few minutes, and once the last batch of cookies is out of the oven so does Eliza. 

Lena wakes up partway through the movie, groaning in pain, face pale.

“Hi,” Kara murmurs, running her thumb between Lena’s eyebrows, “Do you need anything?”

Lena shakes her head, face tightening in pain. Alex gets up quietly and goes into the bathroom to get Lena’s Vicodin, and Eliza goes to the kitchen to heat up something for Lena to eat. 

Lena moans fitfully when Kara pulls her to sitting, pressing her forehead into Kara’s shoulder. 

“Hey,” Kara murmurs, “I need you to eat something, and then you can have some more medicine and you can go to sleep again.” 

Lena eats half the soup cradled in Kara’s lap, takes two Vicodin, and then passes back out.

The rest of them decorate sugar cookies while Lena sleeps again, then order pizza for dinner. Lena wakes up during dinner, eats a cookie and some peanut butter toast, and then curls back into Kara’s arms.

Kara washes her hair that night in the kitchen sink, Lena perched on a kitchen chair. Her eyes flutter closed as Kara massages her scalp. 

“That feels good,” Lena mumbles, “Thank you.”

“I’m just so happy you’re home,” Kara murmurs, rinsing suds out of Lena’s dark hair and lathering Lena’s conditioner bar between her palms. She brushes through Lena’s hair with her fingers then runs a comb through it. Lena is practically purring beneath her ministrations.

“In time for Christmas,” Lena whispers, as Kara works extra conditioner into the ends of her hair, “Good present?”

“Great present,” Kara murmurs.

“Good,” Lena yawns, “Because I didn’t get you anything.” 

The entire apartment except for Lena is woken very vigorously by Ruby on Christmas morning. Kara is already awake, sitting up against her headboard reading on her kindle app. Lena is asleep next to her, blankets pulled up almost completely over her head, and Eliza is asleep on the small cot near the window. Ruby opens the door as subduedly as she possibly can, being a young teenager on Christmas morning, and when she sees that Kara is awake she bounds over and climbs delicately into the bed.

“Merry Christmas, Rubes,” Kara murmurs, as Ruby cuddles up next to her with a big smile.

“Mom and Mama are sleeping still, and I want you to help me wake them up,” Ruby whispers, “but we need to decide on a nice approach or just going balls to the wall.”

“Did Alex teach you that one?” Kara asks with a raised eyebrow. Ruby nods cheerfully, sliding out of bed and tugging Kara after her. 

“Yep!” Ruby snickers, as the two of them tiptoe over to Eliza’s cot. Ruby leans down and shakes her shoulder gently.

“Gramma Eliza,” Ruby says quietly, “It’s Christmas morning!” 

The three of them decide to go “balls to the wall” (“Ruby, do not say that in front of your mother. The other one. Not the one that taught you the phrase.”) with their approach to waking up Sam and Alex. Lena is still out cold, and when Kara checks on her she doesn’t even stir.

“IT’S CHRISTMAAAAAAS!” Ruby whisper shouts, jumping onto the air mattress where Sam and Alex are curled together sleeping. Alex wakes up with a panicked yelp and reaches for a gun that isn’t next to her head, and Sam just jolts awake with a grunt.

“Jesus,” Alex gasps, a hand pressed to her chest, “Ruby, your mother is a federal fucking agent, you cannot sneak up on me like that.”

Ruby snickers a quiet, “Swear Jar,” and wiggles between Sam and Alex who laugh and curl around her, peppering her face with kisses. Eliza kisses Kara’s temple and carries two coffee cups over to the living room, handing one to Sam and one to Alex before heading back for her own. She settles on the couch with a smile, crossing her legs underneath her. Kara is pouring her own cup when a raspy voice croaks her name and Lena stumbles out from the bedroom, pushing her hair out of her eyes. 

“Hi, love,” Kara murmurs, opening her arms and letting Lena cuddle against her chest, “You want some coffee?”

Lena wrinkles her nose and shakes her head, trembling lightly. Her hands are freezing and Kara rubs them between her own as they walk to the couch. Lena accepts a gentle hug from Eliza with a tired grin, and presses a kiss to Ruby’s temple. Kara pours her own coffee and walks over to the tree, plopping down in front of it with a grin.

“Alright. Who’s playing Santa this year?”

Presents go smoothly. Lena dozes off after opening about two of her own and Kara doesn’t have the heart to wake her up so they set hers off to the side. Ruby gets an Instax Polaroid from her and Lena, and spends the rest of the morning taking pictures of all of them. 

“What time is it,” Lena grunts, about three hours after the rest of them have eaten and the wrapping paper has been packed away. Ruby is in control of the remote and they’re watching the 24 hour A Christmas Story Marathon while Eliza starts working on making a pie. Alex and Sam are napping, twined together in their new matching socks and pajama pants from Ruby.

“It’s about 1,” Kara murmurs, smoothing a hand over the back of Lena’s neck, “We didn’t have the heart to wake you up for breakfast so I bet you’re hungry.” 

“Mmm,” Lena croaks, “Maybe a little. Back hurts. Advil?”

“Sure,” Kara says, “Toast?”

“And tea?”

“Anything for you.”

Ruby lays out all the photos she’s taken on the table after they order from the Chinese place down the street. Nobody has the energy to cook a full dinner, and Lena is still eating bland food for the most part. Chinese was Ruby’s idea, because her best friend is Jewish and that’s what they do. Lena is sitting at the table leaning back against a pillow and looking through them with her after her second nap of the day. 

“I love that one,” Lena says, pointing at one of her and Kara curled together on the couch. Lena’s eyes are closed and her hair is piled on the top of her head. Kara is looking down at her with love in her eyes, cheek resting against the crown of Lena’s head.

“I do too,” Kara murmurs, coming up and kissing Lena’s head. Lena had finally opened her presents after eating something, and she’s wearing the gorgeously soft sweater that Sam and Alex had picked out for her. Kara runs her hand over Lena’s arm just to touch it. 

“You can have it!” Ruby says. 

“Are you sure, honey?” Lena asks, “We can always make a copy of it and give you the original back.”

“No,” Ruby says decisively, handing Kara the photo, “I want you to have it! I had a good Christmas and I want all of us to remember it.”

“It was a pretty good Christmas,” Lena murmurs, tilting her head up to kiss Kara with more heat than she has since before her assassination attempt.

“The best,” Kara agrees, “But next year, can we please skip the stitches and the stabbing?”

“Oh God,” Lena mumbles, “By all means. Please. No stitches. No stabbing. No assassination attempts.”

“Glad we all agree,” Alex says, lifting her wine glass in a toast from over on the couch, “I’m sick of seeing you in my medical bay, Luthor.”

“Merry Christmas,” Lena murmurs, after she’s finished pulling faces with Alex.

“Merry Christmas, love,” Kara says, “I’m so glad you’re in one piece.”


End file.
